I don’t know where to start

[Mindblowninbrisvegas]

So I’m 44, fat, exhausted and scruffy. I look and feel awful. A diet and exercise overhaul is long overdue but can anyone offer some tips for quick fixes that whilst won’t solve issues may at least make me look less dreadful?

I know the feeling!! I always think women with a good haircut and nice shoes and scarves look tidy. Says me in her jeans, trainers and hoodie...!! I do have a good haircut though

Write a to do list of easy things to tackle ....

• shower with nice soap, it makes you FEEL better
• wash hair and dry it. Brush it/style it.
• exfoliate & moisturise, it’ll give your skin a glow
• either book to get your eyebrows done, or do them at home!
• book in for a lash lift & tint. Just trust me.

These things are all easy to do, quick fixes and will feel good both when they are ticked off and when you do them!

X

Book a haircut pronto, even if it’s just a tidy up, it always feels good. Ask for styling tips too whilst it’s being dried. (Splash out on a colour if that would help)

Go to a makeup counter and ask for your foundation to be done. I’ve just had mine done at bare minerals and was pleasantly surprised at the difference. I didn’t think the powdery type would give my rubbish skin enough coverage, but I now feel sufficiently glowy!

Book a manicure or set half an hour to file your nails and polish, even if it’s a clear strengthening one. Leave a nail file and hand cream by the bathroom sink, then if you get snags you can quickly file when you’re in there. Try remember hand cream too.

If you can afford some new clothes, get a few key pieces in a colour that suits you. (I’m 47 and currently 2.5 stone overweight 😭 I’ve recently bought a few flattering skimming tips from fat face and next in black or navy and feel good in them).

Have a look online or at a few magazines for healthy living, such as top sante, fit & well etc. For some ideas on simple diet tweaks and exercise you can possibly incorporate into your day, even if it’s just short bursts, eg 30 mins of walking, or even just 3x 10 min walks a day.

Meal plan for a week, with some simple healthy dishes.

Can you tell us what/who you look like and how tall you are and what size and shape you are? We can offer better advice then, specifically tailored to you.

If you can afford it, get a good hair cut/colour and get a make-over at somewhere like Bobby Brown or Laura Mercier. Then book a personal shopper at your local John Lewis. Finally, jump on the ‘low-carb’ thread and the ‘princessing’ thread. Finally, start to do 20 minutes of exercise (inc. stretching) every other day. It’ll be hell at first but after a couple if weeks you’ll feel so much better.

Wow so many amazing tips. Thank you. Is it wrong that I have no idea what a lash lift is? Will make enquires tomorrow where I can get this done locally.

So basically I’m just a knackered wife / mother. Self employed and continually running around like a headless chicken. Frantically juggling everything but dropped the ball for myself years ago. Time is my biggest issue.

Size 16-18 and unsuccessfully ‘hiding’ this in a succession of black trousers / tops / cardigan combinations. Apple shaped and absolutely no sense of style. Too long poker straight hair showing first signs of grey. Haven’t seen the inside of a salon of any kind in at least 18 months. Have a little cash to spend each month but can’t do a major splurge.

Will def book brows / lash / haircut tomorrow in an effort to jump start. Nails are a mess so that may have to wait.

Live semi rurally so no chance of a trip to JL or any make up counters for the foreseeable.

Thanks so much all for getting me started. Any other tips please keep them coming.

Start with the simple stuff, agree a haircut will make a difference immediately to make you feel good. After that try some of these. Don't try and do everything at once!

1 If you smoke reduce or stop
2 If you drink reduce the number of days a week you drink
3 Get off your phone by 9pm every night (ignore the time I post this!) and read a good book or watch a good TV show before bed at 10pm
4 Drink more water, not soft drinks or tea
5 Go for a walk or a swim or do some yoga at lunchtime (speak to your work about organising this, we have a walking club, a gardening club, a running club and a yoga club, all designed to get us all moving at lunchtime to improve our health)
6 Make your snacks healthier by incorporating more fruit and veg
7 Try a variety of exercise to find what you love, I adore swimming and yoga but hate spinning and salsarobics. Try just one session a week initially and slowly build up
8 Go through your wardrobe and get rid of the scruffy things (by that I mean faded tshirts not jeans with holes) and replace with things you love

I can really relate to this, I felt exactly the same at the start of this year and I've been on a year long life overhaul as I decided it was time. I've a long way to go but I'm feeling completely different to how I did at the start. I do t know if any of this is helpful but this is what I've done this year.

Joined slimming world and lost 2st

• addressed some long standing anxiety issues, I now have medication that I should have hot years ago And I'm finally on the right waiting list for the right support - this has been major.

• I had a style analysis with Styled by Susie, I really recommend this.

• I had a complete wardrobe overhaul, I'm a bit overdressed at the school gates now some days but it makes me feel good. Amazing how much better a nice big pair of earrings makes me feel.

-started using a wardrobe app to catalogue all my clothes and shoes and plan what I'm wearing the next day so I feel more put together.

• I've started a service swap with a hairdresser (I do her nails and pedis she does my hair) so I have more regular appointments. You could try a hair dressing academy and have it done by supervised students very cheaply.

• I started the curly girl method and now my crazy hair looks ok because I've stopped fighting it

• I've always worn makeup everyday even at home but now ive updated it and learnt a little bit more about what suits by going to a few counters

• I've started using Beautypie for skincare - recommend this too - and do at least one face mask a week.

• I've addressed my massive full body KP problem by spending the national debt on bumper sized Ameliorate creams, scrubs and washes - 2 weeks in, they're working! Omg the relief!

• shaving my legs more often it's a little thing that I wasn't making time for (DH doesn't care either way!) But it makes me feel better.

• I've given myself better routines by fixing my working days (I'm self employed too)

I think if I look back, I feel like a different woman to how I felt in January. It's all been small changes but it's added up to a lot of putting myself not quite first but at least I'm on the list now!

Pair of black jeans, pair of indigo jeans. Some plain long sleeved tops.
Statement jacket like this: www.cherimilaney.com/product/eco-leather-jacket/

Or this:
www.cherimilaney.com/product/eco-fur-coat/

Just found this designer. She's in Edinburgh but now has a website.